I did the math on this once. The diesel will cost more to operate than any fuel savings will create. I did it based on running a 6.2L Suburban vs. a 350 gas Suburban like 15 years ago and at that time it was basically going to cost me the same to get 14 mpg out of the gasser as like 18 out of the diesel.
The 350 diesel is still another animal. It's based on an Oldsmobile block, so it needs a BOP trans with a diesel governor on it. They had issues with head bolts stretching. They have all the power of a 4.3L gas engine, although more torque, and if you think finding Chevy 350 parts is hard, this long hated motor they made for six years in the 1980s is going to be much worse.
I'm not even sure the mounts are in the same place, I saw plenty of formerly 350 diesel pickups with Oldsmobile and even Pontiac gas V8s stuffed in them. That tells me you have to move the mounts or get different ones for a Chevy engine. The 6.2 on the other hand should swap over more directly. But you'd almost need a parts truck to get the lift pump and filters and so forth that you need to make the swap work. |